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Goku Gets New Float for 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

A staple of the holidays season in the United States, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade treats viewers with several high-profile acts and oversized balloons. In the past quarter century, anime and game characters such as Pikachu, Sonic, One Piece's Luffy and Dragon Ball's Goku have graced the parade route.

Toei Animation announced on Wednesday that Goku is getting a new balloon for the parade's 98th incarnation on November 28. The hero of the late Akira Toriyama's classic Dragon Ball manga has been flying in the New York parade since 2018, powered up in his Super Saiyan Blue transformation. But this year, he will appear in his "iconic Saiyan form."

Judging by the float, "iconic Saiyan form" appears to refer to his base adult form from the beginning of the Dragon Ball Z anime, when he first learned that he was actually part of the alien Saiyan race.

Toei Animation stated on X (formerly Twitter): “Catch the mighty warrior soar the skies and over the streets of New York City on November 28th!”

Masayuki Endo, President and CEO of Toei Animation, said in a press release:

The 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on November 28 in the U.S. on NBC and stream on Peacock.

Sources: Email correspondence, Toei Animation's X/Twitter account